Annealing cover



Feb. 9, 1937. E. N. M ILLAN 2,069,768

ANNEALING COVER Filed Jan. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR WMMMATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1937.

E. N. MILLAN ANNEALING COVER Filed Jan. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l M i111' WWW! v FIG t6 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ANNEALING COVER Edward N. Millan, Middletown, Ohio, assignor' toThe American Rolling Mill Company, Middletown, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio Application January 23, 1935, Serial No. 3,083 4 Claims.(01.263-49) My invention relates to annealing covers for covering packsof sheet metal or coils while they are being heat treated. The uses ofannealing covers are well known, and particular description thereof isnot necessary. The employment of 'annealing covers to retain particularatmospheres surrounding the pieces being heat treated is also wellknown. Because of their uses, annealing covers should be relativelyrigid, but at the same time they should be as light as possible, bothfor convenience in handling and also for efficient heat transfer. Thisdesirable lightness has not been attained in the cast annealing coversin current use. It has hitherto for the most part been considerednecessary to provide a great bulk of metal to give satisfactory rigidityunder high heats. Because of the rough usage and the great heat to whichannealing covers are subjected, they must of course be very rugged andstrong.

It is an object of my invention to provide an rigid and capable offorming a gas tight chamber, and very resistant to heat and wear, butwhich is at the same time light in weight.

It is a further object of my invention to provide annealing covers whichare relatively inexpensive to construct but which when constructed haveall of the above advantages.

These and other objects of my invention which will be set forthhereinafterfor will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon readingthese speci fications, I accomplish by that certain construction andarrangement of parts of which I shall now describe a; preferredembodiment. Reference is made to' the drawings which form a part hereof,and in which:

Figure 1 isa side elevation, with a portion cut away, of my novelannealing cover.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section of my novel annealing cover taken onthe section line 2--2 of Fi 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the section line 3-3 of Figure1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the section line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the, Section line 55 of Fig.1.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of my annealing coverwith an arched top.

- Figure 7 is an end elevation with part cut away of the modified formshown in Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a section taken on the section line 8--8 of Fig. 6. c

Figure 9 is a section taken on the section line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Figure 10 is a section taken on the section line |8lll of Fig. 6.

Broadly my invention comprises providing an annealing cover formed ofrelatively heavy corrugated metal sheets welded together to form thedesired sealed chamber. The corrugated sheets which I prefer to use areof a weight of 8 gauge or greater, and are welded together withstrengthening struts or bands where desired, to form a chamber, withsides, ends and a top, to fit over a pack or stack of sheets while theyare being annealed.

Briefly in the practice of my invention; I provide a chamber orannealing cover having four sides I, 2, 3, and 4 formed of relativelyheavy corrugated sheet metal with the corrugations 5 running diagonalwith the sheets. These side pieces I, 2, 3, and 4 are so positioned asto form a hollow rectangle with the corrugations 5 vertical and with theends of the sheets abutting.

These ends are preferably welded to each other so as to form an integralunit of the sides I, 2, 3,

and 4. A strengthening band 6 of metal may encircle the four sides I, 2,3, and 4 at a line about half way up their height, and may be welded tothe corrugations 5 as is indicated at l in Fig. 5.

one integral piece or may be a number of pieces welded or fastenedtogether.

The corrugated pieces which I prefer to use are.

made of plate metal or the like, 8 gauge or heavier, corrugated withlarge corrugations between rolls in the direction of the shorterdimensions of the sheets, say with corrugations having a depth of 1%inches and a pitch of six inches, and where the corrugated pieces are tobe curved, this is done progressively between dies. The figures givenare of course exemplary and not limiting.

About the lower edges of the four sides I, 2, 3, and 4 I place fourstrips of angle iron 8, so positioned that the lower edges of the sidesrest in the angle thereof with one leg 8a of the iron 8 positionedinside of the hollow rectangle and against the sides of the corrugations5 and with the other leg 8b covering the ends 5a of the corrugations.These angle irons 8 are preferably welded to the side pieces I, 2, 3,and 4 at the points where either of the legs 80. or 8b contact the sidepieces I, 2, 3, and 4. The ends of the four angle irons 8 may be beveledandwelded to each other in order to form an integral frame. The weldingmay be done in any convenient commercial way, as by electrlcity orflame.

Positioned on the four upper edges of the sides It is to be understoodthat this band 6 may be fled form of my novel annealing cover.

I, 2, 3, and 4 and welded thereto are four angle irons 9, with theirlegs 9a contacting the upper ends of the corrugations 5 and with theirother legs 9b projecting upwardly from the leg 9a and on a line with theoutside of the hollow rectangle formed by the four sides I, 2, 3, and 4.The four angle irons 9 are also preferably beveled and welded togetherat their ends in order to form an integral frame at the top edge of thecover.

Positioned within the frame formed by the angle irons 9 is a rectangularsheet of corrugated metal I 0, which is so formed as to rest on the legs9a of the irons 9 and contact the legs 91; of the angle irons 9. Thissheet In is welded to the irons 9 at all points of coincidence.

From the above description it is apparent that I have formed anintegral, sealed chamber, rectangular in shape, of corrugated sheetmetal. In order .to assist in the movement of this chamber I preferablyprovide a number of eyes or brackets II on the sides thereof to permitthe insertion of the drag hook of a crane.

In Figs. 6, '7, 8, 9, and 10 I have shown a modimodification the topportion I2 is in the shape of an arch and is fastened to the side wallsI and 3 by means of strips l3 of metal welded to the ends of thecorrugations 5. These strips l3 are wider than the end of thecorrugations 5 of the side walls and-a portion M of them is permitted toproject over the side walls I and 3 and into the chamber. This portion14 is bent over so as to contact the ends of the corrugations of thebent portion of the top l2, and at a right angle to the same. In otherwords if the top I2 is a portion of the segment of a circle, the bentportions l4 would define a radial line of the same circle.

Bending the portions [4 in this manner, greatly facilitates constructionsince it is possible to form the top I2 of a sheet of corrugated metalwith vertical or square cut ends, and then to bend this top l2 into thepredetermined are. This in turn will bring the ends of the corrugations5a of the top H into registry with the surface of the bentover portion I4, to facilitate welding. The two ends or side walls 2 and 4 are soconfigured at their top edges that they will contact the underside ofthe top l2 when it is in position. The bottom edge of the sides I, 2, 3,and 4 of this modifled form of my invention may be made even and smoothby welding strips l 5 of strap metal to the ends of the corrugations 5.The strips l5 are preferably of the same width as the corrugations 5 ofthe sides, and their ends may be beveled and welded together so as toform an integral frame welded to and covering the lower ends of thecorrugations 5 of the side walls I 2, 3, and 4. In Fig. 10 isillustrated a preferred form or method of welding the side edges of theside walls I, 2, 3, and 4. This manner of abutment and welding may beused with my preferred form or with my modified form, although in theillustrations I In this have shown it in use with my modified formalone.

Hooks l8 may be welded to the ends or the sides of the cover shown inFig. 6-as illustrated, for the purpose of handling, and serve the samepurpose as the brackets ll shown in Fig. 1.

The different configurations and shapes of the cover shown in mydrawings are not intended as a limitation, since numerous other formsmay be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:--

1. An annealing cover comprising four sides of corrugated 'sheet metalwelded to each other at their ends, a strengthening metal bandsurrounding substantially the middle of said sheets on the outside andwelded thereto, a top portion composed of corrugated sheet metal, andjoining means between said top portion and said side portions, said sideand top portions being welded to said joining means to form a sealedchamber.

2. An annealing cover comprising four sides of corrugated sheet metalwelded to each other at their ends, a strengthening metal bandsurrounding substantially the middle of said sheets on the outside andwelded thereto, a top portion composed of corrugated sheet metal, andjoining means between said top portion and said side portions, said sideand top portions being welded to said joining means to form a sealedchamber, said joining means comprising angle irons welded to the tops ofsaid sides with their ends welded together at the corners, and the topportion rest- ,ing in the angles of the angle irons and welded thereto.

3. An annealing cover comprising four sides 01'- corrugated sheet metalwelded to each other at their ends, a strengthening'metal bandsurrounding said sheets on-the outside and welded thereto, a top portioncomposed of corrugated sheet metal, and joining means between said topportion and said side portions, said side and top portions being weldedto said joining means to form a sealed chamber, said joining meanscomprising angle irons welded to the tops of said sides with their endswelded together at the corners, and the top portion resting in theangles of the angle irons and welded thereto, and angle irons welded tothe bottom edges of said side portions with the said side portionsresting in the angle thereof.

4. An annealing cover comprising four sides of corrugated sheet metalwelded to each other at their ends, a top portion composed of corrugatedsheet metal, and joining means between said top portion and said sideportions comprising angle irons welded to the tops of said sides withtheir ends welded together at the corners, the top portion resting inthe angles of the angle irons and EDWARD N. MILLAN.

